NBA roundup: Bulls closing in on No. 1 overall seed

INDIANAPOLIS -- Kyle Korver scored 20 points to help the Chicago Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers, 92-87, Wednesday night and inch closer to the top overall seed in the NBA playoffs.

The Bulls ended the game needing just a win over Cleveland tonight or a loss by the San Antonio Spurs to clinch the league's top spot.

Carlos Boozer scored 16 points, and Joakim Noah had 14 points and 14 rebounds for Chicago. Derrick Rose finished with 10 points in 27 minutes.

Lance Stephenson scored a career-high 22 points in his first career start for Indiana, which rested Danny Granger and Leandro Barbosa with the No. 3 playoff spot in the Eastern Conference locked up.

Denver 106, Oklahoma City 101: Ty Lawson scored 25 points as the Nuggets beat the host Thunder. The Nuggets ensured they won't be the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

New York 99, L.A. Clippers 93: JR Smith scored 21 points, including a rally-stopping jumper with 31 seconds left, and the host Knicks held on to beat the Clippers.

Philadelphia 90, Milwaukee 85: Evan Turner scored a career-high 29 points and the visiting 76ers got a win while resting some key players for the playoffs. Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala, Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young sat out for Philadelphia.

Washington 96, Cleveland 85: John Wall had 21 points and 13 assists as the visiting Wizards won their fifth straight.

Orlando 102, Charlotte 95: J.J. Redick had six three-pointers and scored a career-high 31 points as the host Magic handed the Bobcats their 22nd consecutive loss. The Magic snapped a three-game losing streak and secured the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference but lost forward Glen Davis to a sprained right ankle.

Notebook: Commissioner David Stern said Metta World Peace's history, including his role in the "Malice at the Palace" brawl in 2004, weighed into the decision to suspend the Lakers forward. World Peace was suspended for seven games for elbowing Oklahoma City's James Harden in the head.

Atlanta All-Star center Al Horford said he's definitely out for the best-of-seven series against Boston, which begins this weekend. Horford, one of Atlanta's key players along with Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, has missed most of the season recovering from surgery.

Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20120426/SPORTS03/204260510/nba-roundup-chicago-bulls-near-top-seed?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CSports%7Cp